I recently met a young Canadian girl who has chosen Pune for her startup too.
She has been a yoga practitioner for over 8 years and came to India in 2005. She has been traveling and teaching in different parts of the country and finally decided to start up her business in Pune. I enrolled for her first batch of Power Yoga and have loved every minute of the 75 minute class she conducts twice a week.
A lot of friends commented on the irony of learning yoga from a “firangi” especially in Pune. Well, competition in all areas is always good for the city. I look at her class just like another startup, that comes with a lot of enthusiasm and energy, and delivers a compelling product that makes me keep coming back for more. Every startup needs early adopters and her’s is no different.
In my conversations with her, she explained the poor economics for yoga teachers who are associated with gyms. Branded gyms offer them a measly Rs. 200 per class not to mention the problems of loud music while trying to teach शवासन. These new gyms offer a “pay once and try any of our activities” vs. a “pay as you go” pricing model. This ends up de-motivating (by underpaying) the teachers of various activities (power yoga, salsa, bollywood dancing) and the really good ones have to step out to create their own brand.
For customers like me it’s a bonus to go to her, A) The difference in attitude and health that comes with a good yoga teacher is worth every penny and B) it’s actually cheaper than paying the gym for stuff I’d never use because I want to focus on this activity.
So how did she bootstrap her first batch of students? Well, she attended Shiamak Davar’s dance classes as a student for a few months (associate yourself with a known brand) and collected friends and referrals who would be her first customers when she started up. That’s where I met her and so did most of the others in the class. Incidentally, DARE magazine recently featured a story on Shiamak’s entrepreneurial journey.
The problems she faces are no different from those faced by the startups in the Pune Open Coffee Club – power backup during classes, balancing rent vs. attracting customers in popular locations in the city, and most importantly, building a brand from scratch. Her being a foreigner with no family or financial support makes it no easier.
I’d like to see entrepreneurs like her join the Pune Open Coffee Club. Despite the heavy majority of tech-startups, I’m hoping the Club format will always stay Open and encourage all kinds of entrepreneurs.
~Anjali
UPDATE: I get a lot of emails asking for contact information for this power yoga workshop. Here are the contact details: Get in touch with Daphnee 9921214332, punepoweryoga at yahoo dot com. The next one starts in first week of March, 09.
25 responses so far ↓
nearlynormalized // August 12, 2008 at 1:03 am |
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Dr. Renu Mahtani // August 27, 2008 at 10:14 am |
Dear Anjali,
appreciate your aim through the blog. just to let you know, that I run a very dedicated Wellness set up with an aim of providing holistic health being a practicing doctor – MD medicine.
At our setup – we offer Yoga and its various facets (including power yoga & pilates) suiting the individual needs – therapeutic yoga for people with problems, dynamic yoga for children gentle yoga for seniors, and power yoga too for the desirous! We also incorporate pranayama (basic and special techniques) as a very important part for each group.
Sincerely,
Renu Mahtani
Swati // August 27, 2008 at 6:53 pm |
i want to learn power yoga.i m 21 years old. so can u help me with that?
Santosh // May 8, 2009 at 7:52 pm |
Art4Fun in aundh going to conduct power yoga classes. It is near medipoint hospital.
rahul // September 4, 2008 at 1:30 pm |
Can you share the name and the contact details of this teacher as I run a yoga startup in Mumbai and would like to further explore the possibilities in Pune.
My id is rahul.janjali@gmail.com. Thank you
steve "Yoga DVD" // September 4, 2008 at 7:13 pm |
Hi Anjali,
Here in San Diego the gym yoga teachers are actually paid more than studio teachers. Many studio teachers seek out the gym positions for that reason. Although they do not like the hurry up approach in the gym and the stigma of being a gym teacher it still is the best money.
Namaste,
Steve
Anjali // September 4, 2008 at 10:46 pm |
Thanks Steve for that insight. California has some of the best yoga teachers from what I hear.
Megha // September 12, 2008 at 3:27 pm |
HI Anjali,
i am a regular gymmer…. i have been working out for 4 years now and need a change of routine… i do want to incorporate yoga in my weekly activities due to the increasing stress of a day to day professional and personal life…
i really believe power ypga is wonderful and have practiced surya namaskar on many occasions but want to learn more. Can you pass me the contact details of this person as i would like to join her too ASAP……
thanks in advance… Megha
(megha.chaudhry@gmail.com)
Anjali // September 14, 2008 at 10:21 pm |
Thank you all for writing. For those of you who would like more details on this power yoga class, please write to punepoweryoga at yahoo dot com.
Divya // September 16, 2008 at 1:34 pm |
Hi Anjali,
Please can you send me the details of the Power yoga Classes on divya.jhaveri@gmail.com.
shamim // November 16, 2008 at 7:18 am |
Anjali,
punepoweryoga@yahoo.com does not exist!! may i have an address/contact no. for the koregaon park class please?
Anjali // November 18, 2008 at 7:08 am |
punepoweryoga@yahoo.com is the right email address. Please write to this one.
Anjali // November 18, 2008 at 7:15 am |
The next workshop she has planned is a POWER YOGA Weight Awareness Workshop which will be offered as of November 21st, 2008, in both Koregaon Park and Prabhat Road, Pune.
The main focus of this workshop is to incorporate the high intensity yogasana from Power yoga to increase metabolism, stamina and endurance, combined with an exploration into the root causes of weight imbalances.
This will be conducted jointly with an ayurvedic doctor and a dietitian.
NOTE: this workshop is not aimed at taking measurements of weight, fat percentage, or giving you a diet to follow. It is aimed at gaining awareness as to why there is a weight imbalance to begin with.
For more details write to, punepoweryoga@yahoo.com
Mayura // November 21, 2008 at 2:05 pm |
Hi,,
I wud like to learn Power Yoga…Cud u plz help to get into a gud Institute for Power Yoga….
Thanxx….
Abhijit // November 22, 2008 at 5:33 pm |
Greetings Anjali,
Stumbled upon your article while GooGling power yoga.
Thanks for the information and providing the email address.
Keep Blogging
.
Best Regards,
Abhijit
abhijett AT gmail dot com
amrita // November 24, 2008 at 9:59 am |
Hi Anjali,
appreciate your efforts.i would like to know About the Power Yoga classes In Koregaon Park,Kalyani Nagar.It would be grateful if you could please email me the address.
Best Regards:)
Amrita
Anjali // November 24, 2008 at 3:57 pm |
Unfortunately, I don’t have the address. Just write to yahoo email provided in the blog post to get details for the next batch.
Abhijit // November 24, 2008 at 6:43 pm |
Hi Anjali,
I am sure you are doing good.
Well it’s been 2 days already but haven’t had any reply from punepoweryoga@yahoo.com . I just wish the email address is active & the owner responds.
If possible would like to know if you have any contact number.
Sorry for any inconvenience.
Best Regards,
Abhijit
fatma // December 12, 2008 at 5:21 pm |
hi anjali,
i have been fighting with my weight for a very long time.i am going to a gym but cant see the results.i would like to lose weight and also learn power yoga.please help me.
best regards ,
fatma
Sameer // December 15, 2008 at 1:36 pm |
Can you plz send me the adress for the Power Yoga Class.
Waiting
sushma // December 19, 2008 at 1:07 pm |
hi anjali…i would like to know twhen does the next batch starts…i would like to enroll for power yoga classes…
Shaishavi // January 19, 2009 at 11:48 am |
Hi anjali,
I am looking for power yoga classes….in viman nagar or kalyani nagar…Can you throw some light on matter….thanks
vandana shah // January 28, 2009 at 2:16 pm |
please tell me when will be the next workshop will be held in pune
sonali // March 11, 2009 at 6:55 am |
hi anjali
i am intetrested in learning power yoga. pl send me the details.
sonali
dolly // April 6, 2009 at 5:38 pm |
Hi ,
Chaitanya Health Club at Kothrud,Rambaug colony was about to start Power Yoga Classes.you can contact at-25460799